Simply Akira
by neko-kirin3104
Summary: Kaede loves Akira. Just how much, he's still trying to figure it out. Akira loves Kaede. No more questions asked. Revisiting an old otp with random slice-of-life drabbles/vignettes.
1. Simply Akira

**Simply Akira**

He hates fishing.

He hates it like he's never hated anything before.

Hates it more than anybody else has ever hated _anything_.

Probably—

And yet Kaede finds himself right here again, wasting away on a plank of wood, fishing rod in hand, and his senpai's _very_ wet and _very_ unapologetic fake snores doing quite a number on his sanity.

"All right, I get it. I looked ridiculous!" he grunts under his breath, cheeks red and eyes shifty. "I won't _ever _fall asleep again."

The spiky-haired bastard beside him lets out a lighthearted chuckle, skillful hands making minute adjustments to his line. "I think you looked _cute_, though..."

He gulps.

The silence between them is suddenly so oppressive, it's almost familiar. Each careful breath he takes is a missed beat in his flustered chest—

Because Kaede Rukawa _absolutely _hates fishing.

But the next time Akira invites him out again, he's already there. 


	2. Faces

**Faces**

Kaede Rukawa has many faces. Perhaps even more so than people will ever give him credit for.

Aside from the no-nonsense _'get out of my way or you die'_ glares everybody seems to get from the guy on the court (not excluding Akira), Kaede also has that face he does whenever they meet at the train station: flat, seemingly uninterested; bored eyes fixed at a random spot on Akira's neck

He has a different face for when they lounge and eat at Akira's favorite ramen place: still uninterested, with just the subtlest hints of appreciation for the food; narrowed eyes barely straying from his steaming bowl.

"How's practice today?" he asks, hoping to break a little ice.

"Same old," is the usual, curt reply.

"Hanamichi still giving you a hard time?"

"Hn," Kaede snorts, the derisive sound etching a crease on his brows. This time, however, it only takes Shohoku's famed Ice Prince a single breath and the briefest sideway glance to remember to ask, "How about you?"

This bit of improvement in his usually catatonic date's conversation skills is enough to put Akira in high spirits. "Oh, you know, same old!" He shrugs, echoing Kaede's words with overdone enthusiasm.

His date's face crumples into a frown, eyes fixing on that spot in Akira's neck again, lips twitching and un-twitching in a reluctant pout. The way they always do when he _knows_ he's being teased, but would still like to take a moment to make sure. "_Idiot..._"

Akira chuckles heartily, drawing a handful of curious eyes to their corner. He steps it up _just a little_ _bit_ when Kaede starts practically wilting in his seat. "Your ears are turning red," he teases some more, taking a bit too much pride in it; committing every part of Kaede Rukawa's squirming, blushing image to memory.

"You'll miss the train," the younger guy grumbles, shy eyes now completely downcast; surprisingly steady hands fumbling for his duffel bag.

Akira pays for the food and follows his flustered date out.

"Meet you here again tomorrow?" he says, fluttering his eyes playfully, _hopefully_.

"Hn," Kaede simply grunts, gearing up his bike.

The next day, he will have mustered enough confidence to home in on a random spot on Akira's chin.


	3. Easy

**Easy**

Kaede will never admit it in a million years, but he does feel strangely comforted whenever the redheaded idiot is nearby.

He hates the guy's guts, of course, and he's well aware that the feeling's _very_ mutual.

But maybe that's exactly what makes it _easy_ to talk to him—

"Where were you yesterday, Kitsune?"

"What's it to you, Do'ahou?"

_Easy_ to just respond and fall into meaningless banters, day in and day out—

"Why you—! I told you to stop calling me that!"

"Do'ahou."

_Easy_ to just open up and tease like how they do everyday—

"You stupid kitsune!"

"That's not my name, either. Do'ahou."

They're like best friends, in the oddest sense of the word—

"I saw you yesterday with Sendoh at that ramen shop by the train station."

"Hn. Have you been stalking me again?"

If Sakuragi's angry face can look any guiltier, he just might burn the words on his forehead—

"Geniuses like me don't stalk double-crossing losers like you!"

"What did you call me?"

And if Sakuragi can be any more clueless, Kaede might just wiggle his way out of this confrontation without exposing himself—

"What else would you be doing with that smiley-faced pervert, huh?! HUH—?!"

"We're dating, _Dickhead._"

Then again and over time, conversations with this idiot has already evolved in ways they can no longer control—

"You damn fox! That's the lousiest excuse I've ever heard!"

"Hn."

If Kaede's face can get any more flushed, his head might just pop off, roll away and hide forever—

"Well... are you... _sure_?"

"_Yeah_...?"

If Kaede can sound any less confident about it, he just might need a hug—

"Sendoh, huh?"

"Hn."

And if they aren't currently sitting on a bench at the gym, with the entire Shohoku team on the court to bear witness, Sakuragi might just give it to him—

"I won't tell Ryo-chin." The idiot's voice has significantly lowered for both their sakes. "But if this ever gets in the way of us beating your stupid boyfriend's team, I swear I'm going to beat you up myself, Kitsune!"

"Whatever, Do'ahou."

Sakuragi jumps off the bench and heads out to the court, but not before muttering in a quiet voice steeped in his own naive brand of conviction. "Sendoh's a nice guy."

Kaede doesn't even realize it's just what he needs to hear until he's barely able to stop a smile from cramping up his poker-faced facade—

"Do'ahou..."


End file.
